CAPE TOWN - The dire financial state of regional airline SA Express has been laid bare in Parliament.

The airline is technically bankrupt and it’s affecting its ability to keep aircraft in the sky and pay for much-needed repairs. It’s experienced a spate of technical hiccups recently, including one mid-flight on Friday.

SA Express says without a financial injection from government, it can’t continue operating.

Over the past year, SA Express has lost 10% of its staff, double the industry norm, about 40 were pilots or technicians. Of the 20 aircraft at its disposal, seven are grounded and two beyond repair.

The airline has still not submitted its financial statements to Parliament for 2016/17 because it can’t meet requirements for a going concern.